Academic Rigor and Standards of Performance by Degree Level

Chaminade University of Honolulu offers undergraduate, master’s, and professional doctorate programs. Each degree level is defined by published admission requirements, educational objectives, and the level of student achievement required for graduation, as described in this catalog and in applicable program materials.

The following descriptions provide general guidance regarding expectations for academic rigor at each degree level. While these expectations provide a shared institutional framework, academic programs appropriately differ in how they structure curricula, develop student knowledge and skills, foster independent judgment, and assess student learning within their respective disciplines.

Academic rigor is reflected in the depth and breadth of disciplinary knowledge, the complexity of methods and skills, the level of independent work expected of students, and the nature of scholarly or professional engagement required for successful completion of the degree. In many fields, applied or practice-based learning experiences, such as case analysis, simulations, practica, internships, or fieldwork, serve as important demonstrations of student learning when grounded in disciplinary knowledge and higher-order thinking.

Degree-level expectations apply regardless of instructional modality (e.g., face-to-face, hybrid, or online). As students progress through a program of study, they are expected to demonstrate increasing depth of disciplinary knowledge, complexity of skills, and greater independence in their work consistent with the expectations of the degree they are pursuing. Academic units align curriculum, assignments, and assessment practices with these degree-level expectations in ways appropriate to their disciplines.

Undergraduate (Baccalaureate) Degree Programs

Knowledge: Demonstrate foundational understanding of central theories, concepts, frameworks, models, terminology, and methods in the discipline, and apply core concepts in a range of academic and practical contexts.

Skills: Develop critical thinking, problem-solving, written and oral communication, information literacy, quantitative reasoning, applied skills, technological literacy, and/or introductory research skills. Assignments are typically structured and include increasing opportunities for application and integration.

Independence: Progress from guided learning to increased responsibility for planning, completing, and revising work; collaborate effectively; demonstrate self-reflection and accountability; and use faculty feedback to strengthen performance and professional judgment.

Assessment and evidence of achievement: Common measures include examinations, essays and research-based writing, presentations, projects, and collaborative work. Some programs may also include case analyses, simulations, client-based projects, practica, and/or internships that integrate academic learning in real-world settings. Evaluation emphasizes understanding and application of core concepts and achievement of program learning outcomes; some programs include a capstone, internship, or similar culminating experience.

Master’s Degree Programs

Knowledge: Demonstrate advanced and specialized understanding of the field, including engagement with contemporary scholarship and evidence-based practice as appropriate to the discipline.

Skills: Apply advanced methods and tools, demonstrating advanced critical thinking and professional judgment, to solve complex problems; conduct research or systematic inquiry; analyze and interpret data; and communicate findings clearly in written and oral forms.

Independence: Demonstrate greater autonomy and self-directed learning, including the ability to evaluate sources critically, integrate perspectives, and make reasoned judgments in disciplinary or professional contexts.

Culminating experience: Many programs require a thesis, capstone, comprehensive examination, practicum/clinical experience, or equivalent culminating requirement that demonstrates integrated learning and advanced competence.

Assessment and evidence of achievement: Evaluation commonly emphasizes higher-order learning outcomes (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation), including research-based papers, projects, presentations, and performance in applied or clinical settings where applicable.

Professional Doctorate Degree Programs

Knowledge: Demonstrate specialized expertise and advanced understanding of the profession and discipline, integrating theory, evidence (including engagement with primary and contemporary scholarship as appropriate), and relevant professional standards to address complex problems of practice.

Skills: Demonstrate advanced professional competencies, leadership, and systems thinking, including the ability to design and conduct applied research or systematic inquiry; apply evidence-based approaches to improve practice, organizations, and systems within the profession; analyze and interpret data; and communicate findings in scholarly and professional forums.

Independence: Exercise a high level of independent judgment, ethical decision-making, and reflective practice consistent with doctoral-level expectations and professional responsibility.

Doctoral research or equivalent culminating requirement: Complete a dissertation, doctoral project, or equivalent scholarly work that addresses a complex problem of practice and contributes original insight, innovation, or new knowledge relevant to the profession. Expectations for dissemination (e.g., publishable or presentation-quality work) are defined by the program.

Assessment and evidence of achievement: Programs assess doctoral-level competence and scholarship through rigorous evaluation of professional performance, research methodology, and scholarly writing. Requirements may include comprehensive examinations (where applicable), approval and defense of the proposal, and successful completion and defense of the final dissertation or doctoral project.